If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Your home is dark, it's late and you hear someone inside your home. DO you try to ID the individual or do you use deadly force without issuing any commands or effort to ID?

Assuming you're in your bedroom, lock the door, call 911, and issue verbal commands if someone tries to break in. I'm not going all Rambo in my house to protect my things--that's what insurance is for!

Hey Beretta8045: I'm with you 100%. "Stuff" is nothing to get killed over--that is what insurance is for. All the more power to some of the posters who are ready to go to war over "stuff"--to each his own--I understand where they are coming from and will be the first to applaud them as they "stop" the perp permanently, but it is not me and, quite frankly, is not worth the risk. Come into my locked bedroom, however, and it will be the last time you do that. The only 2 things I would add to your comments: 1. Have a hi-intensity flashlight aimed at the door opening and position yourself away from the opening--perp is blinded for a second, you get to ID him, and you are not in his line of fire should he have a gun--but he is in your line 2. If you have kids in other part of house, all bets are off on the locked bedroom/stay put theory--you do what you have to do and you must become more proactive with a planned response.

"stuff Insurance

Originally Posted by JJFlash

I tend to agree with Kelcarry on this issue but that does not detract from your right to protect your "stuff". It's a personal choice, like everything else. I don't feel that I could handle blowing away some kid who was attempting to steal my truck out of my driveway. Actually, this happened once years ago when I was young and stupid. I actually reached in and yanked the little bastard out of the truck. He promptly got the **** kicked out of him by my cousin and sent on his way. Never did call the cops; we took care of it ourselves. Looking back, it was somewhat stupid, I suppose, as the idiot could have shot ME, had he had a gun. Now, If I look out the window and see this happening, I'm gonna call the cops; the next call will be the insurance company. BUT, if someone is in the house in the middle of the nite rooting around, that's a horse of a different color, as I'm gonna assume they're there to hurt me and mine and will react accordingly. So, like I said, for me, depends on the situation. Here's the kicker for me: we ain't taking it with us, why worry so much about it? (Hey, I'm old...this is the way it's starting to feel...)

Yeah, I'm old too. That gives me the opportunity to remember more years of busting my butt to pay for my "stuff" some of which is of enormous sentimental value, too. Of course, here in NM the mere grasping of a weapon is considered use of deadly force so protecting your self or stuff by holding a weapon is already getting you in the soup.

Laws are too often written by lawyers. Electing them is like hiring a fox to design/build a hen house.

I have the outer perimeter wired. I will know they are there before they get in. If they get past that, they would be professional thieves and their isn't anything here that would warrant professionals coming here steel. So there is only one thing left, "intent".

If they get within 20 feet of my house I know they are there. If something sets off the buzzer depending on the buzzer sound I know what part of the house you are near.
There is a few draw backs with my system. It also includes cats, dogs and even birds flying by. It is a minor nuisance, I can deal with that.

Yeah, I'm old too. That gives me the opportunity to remember more years of busting my butt to pay for my "stuff" some of which is of enormous sentimental value, too. Of course, here in NM the mere grasping of a weapon is considered use of deadly force so protecting your self or stuff by holding a weapon is already getting you in the soup.

Laws are too often written by lawyers. Electing them is like hiring a fox to design/build a hen house.

You know, I hadn't considered "sentimental value" of some stuff and that point is significant as I am a sentimental kind of guy. So, yeah, I'd probably have a somewhat different mentality about someone attempting to steal it. As I think about it, tho, my sentimental stuff is in the house and if I catch Mr. BG in the house, like I said, I consider his presence to be personally life-threatening and so...

Hey JJFlash: Your thoughts about the scum are obviously what all of us think--if he can come into your home and steal your stuff get away it bothers the heck out of you. Shooting him thru a closed door or in the back will take some good explaining on your part, depending on your state of residence, so as much as we all want to we have to be careful that what we wish for comes true.

Hey JJFlash: Your thoughts about the scum are obviously what all of us think--if he can come into your home and steal your stuff get away it bothers the heck out of you. Shooting him thru a closed door or in the back will take some good explaining on your part, depending on your state of residence, so as much as we all want to we have to be careful that what we wish for comes true.

I still haven't changed my mind about shooting someone in the back, Kelcarry. I won't do it, if only for legal reasons (there's that jury of your "peers" thing...). I guess if they're stealing my one and only keepsake from my Dad or Granddad, I'll run around in front of them, or make 'em turn around, and then...Bottom line, if that's all I got to remember my Dad by, they're not leaving with it.

I saw a similar thread on another site asking if you should shout a warning to an intruder or not. I was so surprised at how many folks responded with something like, NO warning, no ID, I'd shoot to kill. Needless to say I was amazed at the responses and just wondered how the responses from the folks at this site would be....

I don't know what "other site" you where on, but it sounds like a bunch of trigger happy, half brained, mindless morons.

"When a government robs Peter to pay Paul it will alway's have the support of Paul" George Bernard Shaw